Equipment Needed

• Inexpensive nylon brushes, narrow to medium widths. Available from Springerle Joy.
• Food coloring, including white (the edible version of white-out!). –or– Luster Dusts. Available from Springerle Joy.
• Plastic palette. Available from Springerle Joy.
• Triple Sec or Vodka to make the coloring dry fast and to dilute the color.
• Eye dropper
• Paper towel
• Mug of water
• Latex gloves optional

Techniques

• Use diluted colors (10 drops or more of Triple Sec or Vodka to one drop food coloring). The alcohol will evaporate in your palette rapidly so add more from time to time. Stir with a tooth pick or your brush.
• If using Luster Dusts, put about 1/16 teaspoon in a palette well. Add 6-10 drops Triple Sec or Vodka. Stir with a tooth pick or your brush. Luster dusts are not water-soluble, so don’t substitute water.
• To make pastel shades, mix your colors with white.
• Rinse your brush between colors and blot with a paper towel.
• Don’t paint the whole cookie; just do highlights (the raised portions) because the eye will naturally fill in the details. Think of what you’re doing as an impressionist painting.
• When you make a mistake, use white food coloring full strength to cover.
• If you don’t like your paint job, destroy the evidence: Eat the cookie!
• There are no “painting police”.
• Get children involved in painting. They love it!